


In Search Of Silver Linings

by PunkPinkPower



Category: Power Rangers R.P.M., Power Rangers Samurai
Genre: Alternate Dimension, Dubious Science, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Female Relationships, Science Sisters, Unicorns, Vortexs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-08
Updated: 2013-09-08
Packaged: 2017-12-25 23:09:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,455
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/958719
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PunkPinkPower/pseuds/PunkPinkPower
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lauren trips into a vortex that takes her to Corinth City, where she is found by an eccentric girl who keeps talking about explosions and calling her “New Gem”.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In Search Of Silver Linings

**Author's Note:**

  * For [VampirePaladin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/VampirePaladin/gifts).



> I’ll be honest, when I first saw this pairing, I was like, “What? How? When? Why?”  
> And then I wrote this and answered all of that. This has been, truly, one of the most entertaining projects I’ve ever done, and I hope that it is at least somewhat like what you had in mind, VampirePaladin!  
> This goes along with “Clash of the Red Rangers” insinuated canon, in that RPM was happening at approximately the same time as Samurai, and also takes a slight AU look at RPM due to Clash happening.

She hits the ground with an ungraceful thud, her feet having been swept out from under her and the world having spun off its axis. Lauren clutches at her head, which aches slightly, and struggles to stand in the dirt. The sun is bearing down hard on her, and she begins to realize something is wrong when she looks up and see’s an empty desert where the Panorama Market had just been. 

“Gem!” Someone shouts from behind her, and Lauren turns, brushing her loose hair out of her face. “Gem, Gem!” 

The girl who’d been shouting at her skids to a halt when she sees her, her bright metallic outfit glinting in the sun and making Lauren squint. The girl looks her up and down once, and then her face falls. 

“Oh,” she says, nodding, “New Gem.” She pulls something out of her uniform, clicks a button, and then grabs Lauren’s hand and tugs. “Okay, come on, New Gem, time to get back inside the city!” 

The girls grip is strong, but Lauren manages to hold her back and jerk her arm away. “Hold on,” Lauren says, brushing off her pants from the sand, “Where am I? What happened? And who are you?” 

The girl points behind Lauren with an exasperated look. “No time to talk now, New Gem! It’s about to be Boom Time! I’ll explain inside the city!” 

Lauren looks over her shoulder, sees a bunch of ominous looking cars heading for them, and this time when the girl grabs her arm, she lets herself be tugged along to the safety of a domed city. 

***

When they get inside the city and the gates close behind them, Lauren leans over on a barrel and catches her breath. “What were those things? Where am I? And who are you?” 

The girl, who doesn’t seem winded at all, reaches out and puts a hand on her back. “Try not to talk, New Gem. The air is thicker here than you’re used to, which is why it’s hard to breath. You’re in Corinth. I’m Gemma, and you’re New Gem,” Gemma says, helping Lauren sit down and patting her on the head, “And don’t worry, New Gem, I’m going to take care of you.” 

Lauren let’s Gemma pat her on the head a few moments, debating whether or not to correct her on her name, but she decides just to go with it, as talking is hard enough. 

“Come on, New Gem,” Gemma says after a moment, helping Lauren up, “We’ll get you to Dr. K, and she’ll fix everything.” Gemma starts walking into the city, and Lauren follows. 

“Gemma,” Lauren asks, pointing upwards, “Why is the city covered by a dome?” 

“Oh,” Gemma says, waving her hands absently, “That’s just to keep the evil Venjix virus and his minions out. Say,” Gemma changes the subject quickly, linking her arm with Lauren’s, “Do you like explosions?” 

***

“When you said the Red Samurai Ranger,” someone starts as they enter the garage, “I was expecting Jayden.” 

Lauren looks over at the young man talking, and catches sight of the red emblem on his jacket. “Jayden’s my brother,” she says, inspecting the garage Gemma has brought her to, “And you are?” 

“Scott,” he says, looking puzzled. The other rangers standing behind him, with similar emblems on their jackets, all look her up and down. 

A young woman in a lab coat comes out from behind Scott and his fellow rangers, typing away on some tablet and looking completely uninterested. 

“Dr. K!” Gemma shouts, startling the young girl in the lab coat. “This is New Gem!”

Dr. K comes over and looks Lauren up and down, and then says, “Gem got sucked into a vortex?” And then she starts tapping furiously at her handheld pad again. 

“A vortex?” Lauren wonders, looking around at the people in the garage. “A vortex to another dimension?” 

The Red Ranger nods. “Don’t tell me your brother never mentioned us? I’m hurt, emotionally.” 

“You’re in Corinth,” the Yellow Ranger explains, “And if you’re from the dimension we think you’re from, we’re met your team.” 

“Gemma,” Dr. K interrupts, “Did you get the coordinates of the Vortex?” 

Gemma tosses Dr. K the device she had clicked earlier when she’d found Lauren. Dr. K plugs it into her tablet and starts off towards another room, mumbling furiously. 

“Wait,” Lauren says, directing her question to Scott, “I’m in another dimension? And this Gem is in mine? This must happen a lot.” 

Scott raises an eyebrow. “What makes you say that?”

“You seem awfully calm about it,” Lauren says, eyeing the whole team. 

“It’s complicated,” the Black Ranger says, folding his arms and leaning against a car. “But if you want the short version, this jerk Professor Cog ripped a bunch of holes in our space time dimension and we’ve been dealing with the fallout.” 

“So yes,” the yellow ranger agrees again, “It happens a lot.” 

Lauren nods, glancing again at Dr. K, wondering how a person so young could possibly be a doctor. “These vortex’s,” she asks, “What kind are they?” 

Dr. K barely glances up at Lauren before continuing her calculations. “Technically speaking ‘vortex’ is a nonscientific term for these phenomena which seem to create a temporary portal between parallel dimensions, but they aren’t Einstein-Rosen Bridges, either, or if they are everything we know about Einstein-Rosen Bridges is wrong.”

Lauren raises her eyebrows slightly. “How complex are the equations?”

Dr. K scoffs. “Why, you know something about quantum physics?” 

“I had a mentor who was particularly fond of the subject,” Lauren admits, raising her head slightly, “And I wrote an award winning mathematical paper on it when I was twelve.” 

Dr. K tilts her head like this is interesting and surprising, but Lauren flinches when she feels Gemma, who is still standing unreasonably close to her, petting her hair slightly. “New Gem is smart, too. I think we should keep her.” 

Dr. K ignores Gemma. “Do you know what an exact solution is?” 

Lauren sides eyes Gemma as she answers without missing a beat, “a Lorentzian manifold equipped with tensor fields that are taken to model states of ordinary matter.”

“What kind of matter?” Dr. K continues, and Lauren sense she’s being tested.  
“Fluid, mostly, or nongravitational fields which is what I suspect we’re dealing with. And before you ask,” Lauren continues before Dr. K can open her mouth, “I’m versed in both Maxwell’s equations and tensor equations.” 

Dr. K looks at her with narrow eyes, like she has been surrounded by people who don’t know what she’s saying often enough that she’s suspicious of someone who does. Then she pulls an extra pad out of her pocket and hands it to Lauren. “Okay,” she says, turning towards her lab, “You can help.” 

“Oh, team project!” Gemma exclaims, and Lauren jumps slightly at the shrillness of her voice. “Let’s get to it, New Gem!” Gemma holds out her hand, like she’s waiting for Lauren to do something. Lauren opens her mouth to ask, but before she can say anything Gemma has grabbed her hand and lifted it up, helping her go through the motions of what appears to be a very complex secret handshake. 

Gemma nods when she drops Laurens hand, and Lauren realizes she should have paid more attention to that, as she might be expected to do it again, and she doesn’t want to anger this irrational and slightly frightening girl who has attaches herself to Lauren’s side. 

“Oh boy,” the blue ranger says, coming up next to her and shaking his head fondly after Gemma, who has run off after Dr. K. “Try to understand,” he says, grinning, “She’s really just very affectionate, and she’s never been away from her brother before.”

Lauren raises an eyebrow. “The boy who is in my dimension is her brother?”

“Or something,” he agrees, “And you are now the surrogate. Don’t be surprised if she starts interrupting you and finishing your sentences.” He pats Lauren on the shoulder sympathetically, and then he gives her a bit of a push towards the lab. 

Lauren is really beginning to wonder what sort of trouble she’s gotten into. 

***

Dr. K is certainly deserving of her title. Lauren sits in the lab with her and Gemma all afternoon, working on equations and trying to unravel the specific polarity of this vortex so that they can turn it back around and switch Lauren and Gem back. Lauren spends only a little bit of time worrying about her team holding their own against any Nighlocks that arise, and the rest of it trying to keep up with Dr. K and trying to figure out Gemma. 

While Dr. K eventually does ask her name and begins calling her Lauren, Gemma all but refuses to call her anything but New Gem, and seems annoyed each time Dr. K does. Gemma spends her time either sitting across from Lauren and tapping her foot under the table, and coming to stand behind her and rest her chin on Lauren’s shoulder to observe her work or correct errors. She works, too, but she gets distracted easily, commenting on the silkiness of Lauren’s hair or the brightness of her eyes every once in a while. 

Dr. K occasionally goes over both their pads, and while she checks only a few things on Laurens, she goes through Gemma’s whole pad, deleting drawings of unicorns and rainbows and explosions. Funnily enough, she looks fond while she does it instead of annoyed. 

“Where did you study?” Lauren wonders, dragging around a few numbers on her pad after Dr. K gives it back to her. Dr. K doesn’t answer. “It’s just that, I spent my whole life being trained by private tutors and you make me look like a moron.” 

Lauren looks up, and sees Gemma shaking her head at Lauren across the table, and Lauren suddenly wonders if she’s said something she shouldn’t. 

“Thank you,” Dr. K says, “But you aren’t a moron. And having my intellect validated by someone with comparable skill is always appreciated. But I do not wish to talk about my training.” 

Lauren nods. “Of course,” she says, “Sorry.”

They fall into silence again, and Lauren looks over at Gemma. Gemma is staring at her hard, to the point where it makes Lauren slightly uncomfortable. 

“You were trained privately?” Dr. K wonders after some time, and Lauren realizes she had locked eyes with Gemma that whole time. 

“Yes,” Lauren agrees, shaking her head and trying to clear the peculiar feeling in her stomach with it, “For many things.” 

Dr. K must sense Lauren doesn’t want to go into detail either, and they continue working. 

“Little broken wings,” Gemma says quietly, and Lauren looks up to find her glancing between Dr. K and herself, “Not broken birds, though. Just broken wings.” 

Lauren glances over at Dr. K, wondering what that means. Dr. K looks fondly at Gemma for a moment, and then she sighs slightly. “Do you mind if I take a small break?” she asks Lauren, who shakes her head. “I’ve still got the computer running scans, and past experience tells me we have a 72 hour window before we can reverse the polarity.” 

“Its fine,” Lauren agrees, “Thank you for letting me help.” 

Dr. K nods and exits the lab. Lauren watches her go, but then she feels breathing on her cheek and whips her head back around to find Gemma leaned all the way across the table, only an inch from her face. 

Lauren shrieks and falls backwards off her stool, cascading to the ground painfully. 

Gemma laughs as she crawls the rest of the way across the table and sits like a gargoyle on the stool, before coming to help Lauren up. 

“Silly New Gem,” Gemma says, grinning, and Lauren lets out a breath of annoyance. 

“You don’t have any personal boundaries,” Lauren asks as Gemma begins smoothing out her hair and clothes, “Do you?” 

Gemma looks at her confused. “What are boundaries?” 

“Thought not,” Lauren says, but she lets Gemma finish anyway. 

“Come on, New Gem, I want to show you something fun,” Gemma says, grabbing onto Laurens hand and tugging towards the door. 

“Gemma,” Lauren says, trying to halt her, “We should stay and get work done. Dr. K is taking a break but there’s still-”

“Nope!” Gemma interrupts, and she circles around Lauren and begins pushing her towards the door from behind. 

Lauren can’t help but laugh as she tries to fight Gemma unsuccessfully. Gemma’s enthusiasm and joy are infectious. “Alright!” She shouts as they reach the door, pushing herself away from Gemma and turning, a finger held in the air. She imagines her menacing stance is somewhat diminished by the grin on her face. “One hour, and then we come back and do more work, okay?” 

Gemma lets out a loud and annoyed sigh, rolling her head back and forth on her neck like Lauren is the one being ridiculous, but they she says, “Fine!” and grabs onto Laurens hand to drag her behind her. 

Lauren lets her. 

***

Gemma takes her to an arcade. Or at least, Laruen thinks it’s supposed to be something like an arcade. There are old 80’s style video games lining the walls, a bowling alley, and a climbing wall with prizes at the top in little bubbles. 

“What are we doing?” Lauren wonders, though of course Gemma doesn’t answer. Gemma lets go of her hand while she passes a couple of tokens to the man who owns the arcade, and Lauren takes the time to rub it on her pants. She isn’t used to holding someone’s hand, but Gemma seems insistent, and, after introducing her as ‘New Gem’ again to the chagrin of the owner, Gemma takes her hand and leads her to the climbing wall. 

“Race you!” Gemma shouts, not even bothering to put on a harness. 

“Absolutely not!” Lauren shouts up at her, and Gemma looks down with a frown. “Not without safety gear!” 

Gemma groans, but climbs back down the wall. 

Lauren has to help her hook up her harness, as apparently Gemma and Gem never bother. “What if you fell?” 

“ _What if you fell_?” Gemma mimics, and Lauren purses her lips at her. “I’ll remember that the next time I’m setting off two ton explosions.” 

They race fourteen times before Gemma’s energy seems to abate even a little bit. Lauren is exhausted, but they win a tiny stuffed unicorn, a pencil eraser, and a snack bar gift certificate, which Gemma insists they spend on cotton candy after she learns Lauren has never had any. 

The cotton candy is sweet and fluffy and melts in her mouth, the strawberry flavor lingering in her mouth. Lauren tries not to be giddy at the sensation of it, as it will only encourage Gemma. But she does enjoy the treat, and they walk around the arcade as they eat it, their hands joined again. 

“When we get back to the lab,” Gemma says, holding up the tiny stuffed unicorn in her other hand, “I will show you my whole collection of unicorns, and you can give this one a name after you know the names of the other forty seven, New Gem, and then-”

“Gemma,” Lauren says, tugging on Gemma’s hand to slow her down and make her turn. When she does, Lauren hesitates. “You know I’m not… really New Gem, right? That I have a name, and that I’m not a replacement for your brother?” 

Gemma’s face softens slightly, like this is something she does not want to talk about, but will because Lauren is asking her to. “I know,” she nods, and she brings up Lauren and her clasped hands, “But calling you New Gem makes it easier when I think about Gem not being here.” 

Lauren chews her lip. “You’ve never been apart.” 

Gemma shakes her head. 

“It’s funny,” Lauren says, “I just met my brother. I hardly know him. And you and Gem have spent your whole lives together. It’s not really the same, but… I spent a long time away from my brother, not even able to say his name. So I guess I can understand why calling me your brother’s name helps,” Lauren says, and she gives Gemma’s hand a squeeze. “You can call me New Gem as much as you want, okay?” 

Gemma’s lips turn up slightly, but then she shakes her head. “No,” she says, and she stomps her foot a little like she’s making a decision, “I will call you Lauren. That will help, too.” 

Lauren grins at her, and then Gemma leans across to where Lauren is holding the cotton candy with her other hand and takes a giant bite of it, making Lauren laugh, before Gemma turns and drags her off somewhere else. 

***

“Where have you two been?” The blue ranger asks as they enter the garage. “Oh! New unicorn!” 

Gemma holds up the new tiny unicorn for him to inspect, and Lauren grins. She wonders if there are really forty seven others somewhere in their base. 

“What are we calling it, then?” He says, handing it back to Gemma. “How about Ringo?” 

“No, Flynn!” Gemma scolds, holding the unicorn away from him and covering its ears, “Lauren get’s to name this one!” 

Flynn holds up his hands, shoots Lauren a look of appraisement. “Oh, sorry!” 

Gemma looks at Lauren expectantly, and Lauren shrugs. “I don’t know any unicorn names.” 

Gemma looks skeptical. “There aren’t unicorns in your dimension?” 

Lauren grins. “Well, I’m sure there are, but I’ve never met any.” 

“Well,” Gemma says, shrugging and patting the unicorn on the head, “You still have some time to think of a name.” 

Lauren nods, wondering if Dr. K has continued working on the equations and how much longer she’ll be here. She hates to admit it, even to herself, since she should be worried about her team, but she thinks she might miss this strange, exciting girl who has attached herself to Lauren’s side. It’s only been a day, but it’s been some of the best fun Lauren’s had in a while. 

When the rangers announce dinner, she finds herself reaching for Gemma’s hand out of habit or maybe expectation, and Gemma gives her a curious look before happily taking her hand and lacing their fingers together. 

***

“This is where you sleep?” Lauren wonders as Gemma leads her into her and Gem’s shared room, which is filled with bean bags and- “Oh, wow. You really do have a lot of unicorns.” 

Gemma nods happily, smiling. “We collect them!” 

She pulls down a giant fluffy one and pushes it at Lauren. Lauren holds it as Gemma introduces her to the rest of the unicorns. 

“And this is Sir Fluffington the 3rd, but don’t ask him what happened to the 1st or 2nd,” Gemma warns with wide eyes, and Lauren has to bite back a laugh. 

“You don’t have beds,” Lauren observes, looking at the giant bean bag chairs around the room. 

“Beds are boring,” Gemma waves her hand around, “These are much more fun. Try it!” 

Gemma practically shoves her down to a bean bag chair, which is surprisingly comfortable. But then Gemma gets this mischievous look on her face, and before Lauren can react Gemma jumps towards her, landing next to her on the bean bag and bouncing her off onto the floor. Gemma giggles with glee, and only the fluffy unicorn in her arms cushions her fall. 

“Told you,” Gemma says, and Lauren tosses the unicorn at her. 

They make themselves comfy in one of the larger bean bags, just enough space between them for Lauren to be comfortable but not enough to Gemma to feel like she’s alone. Flynn had given them a very calculating look when Gemma had announced bedtime and dragged Lauren back to her room with her. No one else had seemed to pay it much mind, but it made Lauren wonder if she should feel awkward, laying here with Gemma. 

“Do you have to go back?” Gemma wonders when the lights click off automatically, the base going dark. 

“I think so,” she says kindly, “If you want your brother back.” 

Gemma sighs in the darkness. “Tough decision,” she says quietly, and Lauren smiles despite the sadness in Gemma’s voice. 

“That’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said about me,” Lauren confides, and Gemma’s hand finds hers in the darkness. 

***

The next day, the rangers get called out to battle, leaving Lauren and Dr. K alone in the lab. Dr. K monitors the fight while Lauren is supposed to be working on equations, but she finds herself being Dr. K at the computer, watching the RPM rangers do battle. 

“Is it always like this?” Lauren wonders, and Dr. K tilts her head slightly though her fingers don’t still on her keyboard. “Monsters, vortexes, virus’s, all at the same time?” 

“Technically, the monsters are product of the virus, but yes, it is always like this,” Dr. K agrees, and she sends the rangers their zords. 

“Eventful,” Lauren observes, and Dr. K scoffs. 

***

“Did you see it?” Gemma yells as she and the other rangers enter the garage. She’s still in her suit, her helmet discarded somewhere, and she’s making giant motions and explosions sounds. “That was awesome! Best Boom Time ever!” 

“Gem’ll be sorry he missed it,” Flynn agrees, standing behind with the other rangers and as Gemma takes both Laurens hands and spins around in joy with her. 

Lauren laughs, letting Gemma twirl her around. “It was a very nice explosion.”

“Very nice?” Gemma guffaws, like she’s insulted. “You mean spectacular and amazing and super sweet!” 

Lauren nods as Gemma lets her go. “Yes, that is exactly what I meant.” 

“Gemma,” Dr. K says from the door to the lab, and Gemma stops spinning to look at her. “If you could please dimorph to conserve energy.” Gemma does as she’s told with a much abused sigh. “And now, I think I’ve nearly finished the equation to get Lauren home.”

Gemma’s shoulders drop instantly. “Oh,” she says, her face falling. “Are you sure?” 

All of the ranger’s eyebrows go up, and Dr. K even looks a little shocked, as though this is the first time Gemma has ever questioned her. “Feel free to check,” Dr. K says mildly, and Gemma goes past her into the lab. 

Someone whistles. 

Lauren finds everyone staring at her. She wants to say something, but she isn’t sure exactly what they’re judging her for, so instead she just follows Gemma into the lab. 

Gemma is staring at her pad with a hard expression, muttering to herself seriously. Lauren comes up and Gemma looks up at her and nods, her eyes watering. 

Lauren has never felt so torn. She wants to go home, needs to go home, of course. But she also doesn’t want to leave her new friend. 

“Hey,” Lauren says, reaching for Gemma’s hand, uncertain what to say. “Maybe we’ll see each other again someday?” 

Gemma shakes her head. “The odds of that are astronomical.” 

Lauren knows that’s true. “True,” she agrees, but then an idea strikes her, “But according to the multi-verse theory, which my being here proves, there is a universe _somewhere_ out there where we get to be together. Maybe even more than one!”

Gemma’s face lights up, even as a tear falls down her cheek. “You think so?” 

Lauren grins, nods. “I’m sure of it.”

Gemma squeezes her hand, and then she leans forward and places a kiss on Lauren’s nose. 

“Okay,” she agrees, handing Lauren the pad, “Let’s get you home.”

***

The entire team accompanies her to the site of the vortex, save for Dr. K, who waits at the lab to reverse the polarity at the right moment. 

After securing the spot, Lauren says goodbye to the RPM rangers, and then Gemma walks her to the right coordinates. 

“Here,” Gemma says, and she thrusts the tiny stuffed unicorn they had won at the arcade into Lauren’s hands, “He’s yours.” 

Lauren clutches the unicorn to her chest. “Thank you.” 

Gemma wraps her arms around her, and Lauren hugs her tight. “I’ll see you in another universe,” Gemma promises, and Lauren nods into her shoulder, her eyes tearing up against her will. She can’t remember the last time she’s wanted to cry like this. 

“Ladies,” the black ranger says, “We ain’t got all day.” 

Reluctantly, Gemma steps back towards her team, and Lauren waves before she’s sucked backwards into a swirling pool and then spit out on the ground. 

“Lauren!” Someone shouts, and Lauren shakes her head to clear it from the feel of the vortex. “Are you okay?” 

Emily, Kevin and Antonio pull Lauren to her feet, and she looks around. “I’m fine.” 

“We were so worried!” Mia says, running up with Jayden and Mike in toe. 

“Dr. K was able to reverse the polarity of the vortex, then?” Jayden asks, and Lauren nods. 

“Awe,” Emily says, frowning, “We didn’t get to say goodbye to Gem.” 

“Good riddance,” Kevin says irately, and Mia smacks him on the chest. “He was dangerous!” 

“But he was fun,” Mike says, and he looks fond. “How were things over there?” 

“Fun,” Lauren agrees, and she holds up the little unicorn in her hand. “Very fun.”

~*~  
 _In Some Universe, Somewhere…_

Lauren wakes up to Gemma petting her hair in the field full of daisy’s where they’re laying, and she wonders when she fell asleep. 

“Hey, sleepyhead,” Gemma grins, and Lauren stretches. 

“I just had the strangest dream,” Lauren admits, rubbing her eyes. “There were explosions and unicorns?” 

The images are already fading behind her eyes as Gemma reaches for her hand. “Sounds like fun.” 

“Are we late?” Lauren wonders, standing and pulling Gemma to her feet. 

“Gem’s holding our seats,” Gemma says, tapping something into her phone before putting it in her back pocket, “But we have to grab snacks for everyone on the way.”

“I have a definite craving for cotton candy,” Lauren admits, and Gemma laughs. 

“Yum!” She says, and she reaches over and kisses Lauren happily on the cheek. Lauren lets her girlfriend drop her hand to wrap her arm around her shoulder, and Lauren tucks her hand into Gemma’s back pocket. “I was thinking more along the lines of fast food, but I bet we could make that happen!” 

Lauren grins, turns her head to give Gemma a quick peck on the lips. “No way, if we stop somewhere for cotton candy there will be no pulling you away!” 

Gemma sighs playfully. “You know me too well.”

“Yup,” Lauren agrees as they get into Gemma’s silver jeep. 

The unicorn bobble head on her dash dances as they drive off to meet their friends.


End file.
